"These are staggering statistics," said Sheryl Kingsberg, a professor of reproductive biology and psychiatry at University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland. Here we are with various means of effective birth control at our fingertips, but it's not reaching the population that needs it the most."

Previous studies on unplanned pregnancies found that they are a result of improper use of contraception such as condoms and birth control pills. In some instances, birth control methods were not used at all.

Many doctors attribute unplanned pregnancies in teens and women with lower incomes to a lack of education and awareness on how to use contraception.

"Basically what that suggests is that many women think that because they have not used a method and have not gotten pregnant in two or three or four acts of intercourse that they're sterile. And of course, that's not how it works," he said.

There have been many advances in birth control options such as vaginal rings and implants as opposed to traditional methods like birth control pills. However, many of the new options are more expensive or some women are unaware that they even exist.